Soon a day will come when we shall give away only 10 Awards. But not today. How could we take any product off this list?

Real Sound Processor

SPEC
RSP-901EX

I mentioned Mr Shirokazu Yazaki many times and he was also so kind to write for us a story of his life (My private story of audio). He is one of the secret heroes of the audio world, who, which is usually the case in Japanese order of things, hid his name behind some brands like Teac, Pioneer, and some other industry giants. SPEC company allowed him to realize his own ideas and to guaranty them with his own name. Together with other two fantastic engineers, Banno-san and Yamakawa-san he created remarkable devices including the hereby awarded loudspeaker „processor”. Yazaki-san shall soon retire and the other two gentlemen will take over.

In my opinion not often enough do we realize that music is a part of our historical and cultural legacy and I mean also popular music, as we actually „live” it everyday. Protecting this legacy is one of the most important duties of every country particular music belongs to.

Polskie Nagrania (Polish Recordings), that inhereted Polskie Nagrania MUZA's archives for years has been running a complex program of remastering of the most important Polish recordings and we own them big thanks for that. But none of the previously released works were as important as the Czesław Niemen's Works 2015 Remaster.

Fortunately the right people were chosen for the job – Ms Eleonora Atalay and Mr Jacek Gawłowski. Together they created something that represents the best work of Polish remastering engineers, something that others might learn a thing or two from. The analogue versions (vinyl records and maybe even analogue tapes) still wait for their time to come but digital version created by these two might be easily called ultimate ones.

Volker Bohlmeier, the owner of Einstein, belongs to the most calm people I know. There are few of them in audio industry and all of them own companies whose names are synonymous with top performance but also with reliability. Them being so calm comes, I suppose, from their confidence – they know exactly how to get to satisfying both sides (them and customers) results. Believe me – it is not so with every audio manufacturer.

Einstein The Preamp and The Silver Bullet OTL mono amplifiers are results of many years of constant development, improvements and ingenious ideas which their performance and aesthetics perfectly reflect. A very solid make and original design – that's what makes these devices a high-end class ones. One listens to them with a great pleasure but they can also be used as professional tools – that's how Dirk Sommer, Chief Editor of hifistatement.net and sound engineer of Sommelier du Son uses them. Einstein products are a part of his reference system that also includes Studer A80 as analogue sources.

A digital audio world has been divided between small, sometimes even one-man specialized firms and some big ones. The latter base their products on a complex digital processing, sophisticated filtering, the former try to get back to the roots. Vincent Brient's Totaldac represents the latter. The man decided to build from scratch something that the big companies take for granted – D/A converter, most often available as a small chip. Vincent does not use of-the-shell solution, he decided to build a discrete resistor ladder (i.d. soldered separately) with transistors used as switches between resistors. He added his proprietary digital filter, refined analogue filters and created a 3-box D/A Converter (plus 3 power supplies), fully capable of competing in terms of sound quality with the best digital sources available on the market today. Use it with top quality CD Transport and you're in heaven.

We live in times when power cables seem to be one of the most important parts of high-end audio systems. It was not that long ago when they were treated just as accessories and now they moved up the ladder to become one of the „stars”, at least equally important as any other component. If you haven't found that out for yourself until now – it is high time to try. If you can't hear a difference introduced by power chords it means that there is something wrong with the system, that it needs some work or even replacement…

Cable that comes from Mr Kazuo Kiuchi is a work of an artist. His products are used in JVC remastering studios where material for K2 HD and XRCD releases is prepared. Kiuchi-san himself is a producer of many XRCDs and analogue records, including whole phenomenal Hi-Q series with classical music.

There is nothing much to write about here - X-DC Studio Master Million Maestro is THE best power cable I ever tested in my system (and I already use damn good cables) and the one that I truly wish I could use for all components of my system. Yeah, my dreams are that simple :)

As it turned out I was simply waiting for the Triple Crown series. Being fully aware that sky is a limit, that a better cable can be made one day I awarded GOLD Fingerprint to Mr Edwin van der Kleij and his Triple Crown series as my token of appreciation for his remarkable achievement. Explaining this award I wrote: „Even if (or maybe rather when) in the future a new even better cable will come to life, this present reference series will always (in my mind) be an example for everyone to follow.”

Great engineering - a result of years of work of metallurgist, electric engineers and mechanics - Triple Crown is the best of the best.

There have been no significant changes in technologies used for loudspeakers for the past 100 years. There were some improvements regarding magnets, diaphragm materials, filters, cabinets – but that's all that the industry was able to come up with. Not even electro- and magnetostatic drivers changed that, nor the NXT.

But when these „antique” techniques land in truly capable hands, they can make speakers that could take us straight to the world of mechanically recorded world of music that is beautiful, natural, real. AudioMachina loudspeakers act as a relay between this world and listener, they do just that and nothing more. And that's exactly what audio is about. Pure NSE are top-quality loudspeakers, one of the best in the world.

Most people think of Advance Acoustic as a manufacturer of electronics. But lets not forget that first products they ever made were speakers and these won them their first customers. Kubik K11S can be placed in almost any room, they can be placed far apart or close to each other, they can play loud or very quietly always offering similar, rich and slightly warm performance. These are also quite big loudspeakers and very well made too. All that at reasonable price!

„The Danes know how to make a speaker” – this sentence is a great summary of our test of SR3 Super. The Danes at Audiovector not only know how to make a speaker, they also enjoy making them – one can easily recognize that when talking to them. Such approach allows them to create speakers that differentiate recordings in a great way but also allow user to just relax while listening – all one has to do is to take care of correct placement of the speakers. Make&finish is another great advantage of these Danish speakers.

Very unusual looks, cabinet proportions and also extraordinary finish rarely translate into equally interesting performance. Usually it is just about making product different to attract customer's attention, or even to distract him from the performance. Divine Acoustics loudspeakers look great and are surely very different from all other speakers so they can't be confused with products of any other brand. They offer very clean, refined, high quality sound too.

Famous predecessors of these speakers, BBC monitors, were designed to be used in studios. SL5 Plus preserves all of their advantages adding something more – they allow listener to simply enjoy music and not only one that is perfectly recorded. But to be perfectly honest – yes, they sound best when playing high quality recordings. They perform especially well playing classical and jazz music. Beautiful speakers, classic dimensions and looks. A choice for many years.

JBLs deliver equally good, involving performance whether they play rock, jazz, classical or electronic music. They deliver detailed sound but present music as a whole without dissecting it into small pieces. Spacing is amazing – a room around disappears together with all problems of everyday life, and all is left is wonderful music. Timeless, classic design. These might as well be the last speakers you'll ever buy.

Just as I wrote in my review, these speakers can easily be the least expensive element of the system and yet they won't be the weak link. One can use them with refined systems, as well as with Class D amplifiers and „they will offer nicely differentiated, uncolored performance unlike other speakers from this price range”.

This is an anniversary product, loudspeakers to celebrate 20 years of renown Polish company Sound Project. These are wonderfully made, small monitors offering open, direct sound with a really nice bass range too. They have a way of making system one uses them in sound more classy, better. Congratulations!

Surely Bulgarian company Thrax is not known for making speakers – they are amplifier specialists. And yet the uncompromising design, Lyra, offer a performance that might be matched only by the best studio monitors. They deliver remarkably transparent and „direct” performance. Use them with warm sounding amplifier and you can enjoy fabulous sound also at home. Ingenious design!

Small things are beautiful! Cliche, right? And yet these two nice Austrians, Mr Trenner and Friedl managed to bring this cliche to life in a way that deserves to be recognized by International Bureau of Weights and Measures in Sevres. And if that's how cliche looks and sounds like, I'd like ten of these, please - 2 for each room. A classic form, beautiful make and finish, surprising dynamics and mesmerizing performance – absolutely deserved Award for this tiny speakers from the land of Haydn and Strauss!

With make&finish of best Italian furniture, Perla deliver rich, vibrant, high quality sound. They'll do a great job in smaller rooms delivering very natural and classy performance. These speakers are also capable of differentiating recordings. One can easily see and hear that these speakers were made by Italian. Mr Roberto Barletta must be proud of how well he managed to implement everything we value Italian speakers for, into such a small, stylish body.

My daughter has been holding onto Y50 from the very day she got them despite the fact that there are maybe 20 different pairs of cans at home she could choose from. And I know exactly why – these are very nice looking cans, particularly comfortable to wear and they sound great too. It was our countryman, Rafał Czanecki, who created design for these cans – that's additional value.

The company that at first offered us great, inexpensive DVD and Blu-ray Players today offers, among other products, also a very good portable system with certain sonic signature, that is able to find depth and emotion in every piece of music. As I wrote in my review – this is one of the best looking and offering best value headphone systems in the world. It offers also a great opportunity to those who are not audiophiles but who want to try what all this „high quality sound” fuss is about.

Accuphase constantly changes, year after year, model after model. So each next model brings some surprises. E-470 belongs to the most interesting ones – it's an integrated amplifier that can replace even more expensive pre+power amp sets from other brands. It offers fantastic functionality, too. Brilliant piece of equipment.

A large, impressive amplifier from French manufacturer. Who could resist its large VA meters? Nobody, I guess. Even more so since the sound is also charming – large in scale, warm, simply very, very enjoyable. And there is a bonus too – a very good headphone output.

This device allows user to „see” music from a new perspective, to hear it like it sounds in concert hall. It delivers refined performance in a particularly calm (in the best possible meaning of this term) way. Equally good with speakers as it is with headphones. Perfect make&finish. Looks great on a wooden rack/platform – it represents Italian style after all!

Amazingly well built, sounding like angel's choir – that's a short version of the review. It delivers warm, intimate but also resolving sound. Dynamics and soundstage – both exceptional. Fully capable of driving even most difficult loads (speakers) to deliver a very pleasant, unoffensive performance.

Fitting two devices into one chassis isn't easy. elinsAudio managed to do just that – Concerto includes a high quality preamplifier and a power amp in a single, sturdy chassis. An unique aesthetics is a bonus that users shall appreciate even after years of usage. A beautiful amplifier!

Wiktor Krzak, owner of Haiku is a perfectionist. If he recognizes that a remote control diminishes sound quality he will simply not use it and he won't be convinced with any arguments. Maybe this kind of approach is what allowed him to create such a fantastic amplifier as Bright Mk3. It delivers refined, sophisticated sound that is very hard to find at this price range.

№585 is more than an amplifier as it includes also a D/A Converter and a fantastic one, I must add. The sound is very palpable, but also open, carrying lot of information. This product offers a great value and it comes from a manufacturer who's been a symbol of reliability for 40 years straight.

A small amplifier from a manufacturer associated with audio „accessories” offers great value. It delivers tonally beautiful fast sound that lacks any signs of harshness or brightness. Most would use a simple word: natural, for this type of sound. Despite relatively low power I couldn't detect any hints of compression and any emphasis in bass area. As I recommended in my review – if you have one, take it to one of your friends who has a large, powerful amp – seeing his face after direct comparison will be priceless, I guaranty that :)

Nic Poulsen proposed an integrated amplifier that is a culmination of his efforts to deliver a musical, natural sound. It's a hybrid design with tubes in the input stage placed in a very well designed chassis. It charms listeners with colorful, nuanced, spatial sound. Wonderful device delivering amazing performance.

Audiomatus is a manufacturer who started flirting with class D amplifiers when most audiophiles still didn't even want to look at them, let alone listen to them. Audiomatus was right, serious audiophiles were wrong. Now years of playing with this technology allow Polish manufacturer to offer great sounding amplifier at exceptionally attractive price. It delivers smooth, rich, dense sound that carries a lot of information too.

I am pretty sure that you know this anecdote about an American and a Pole commenting something extremely beautiful? The former says something like: O my god! It's wonderful, remarkable, beautiful! The latter chooses words bit differently saying most likely something like this: „holy s..t! That's f....g beautiful, I can't f...g believe it!” Well, being a Pole I could use the latter description for AudioTekne system, but I can't really do it in public, can I? To be honest that's more or less what I was saying after carrying (with a friend but still) all these components to my apartment and setting them up in my room. But after listening to the first side of the first record I forgot about being sore and tired and started to hear this song being played in my head again and again: „Heaven, I'm in heaven...”. And I was in heaven until the very sad day when this absolutely amazingly performing system left my apartment. One of the best three systems that I ever hosted in my room and probably one of the best there are! Although still not top of the line from AudioTekne... That couldn't go unrewarded!

One of the giants of audio world prepared two nice looking and nice sounding devices, offering smooth, pleasant performance. They look particularly good, are user-friendly, and can also drive Denon's headphones. That makes it a system suitable for a bedroom, or a kitchen, or in case of non-audiophile music fans it could be simply the main system at home.

This Japanese system is something that happens only on rare occasions – it's a true, complete system and not just few devices put together by accident or for convenience. The amplifier sports digital inputs and a high quality headphone output. The CD Player will do its job even in expensive systems. Just as I wrote in my review: „one should stick with such people and such product, all the rest are unworthy one's attention…”

As I stated in my review – it pays off to be persistent. In this particular case I was rewarded with remarkable musical spectacle created by this system that I had to wait for for a long, long time. Although Robert Koda components are hybrid designs combining tubes and transistors, their performance reminded me of the best SET amps I knew. This system delivers amazingly refined, sophisticated performance with no downsides. One can easily forget that this is just an audio system reproducing music that was recorded elsewhere. I reviewed Takumi with Chopin speakers just before Audio Tekne system arrived – I nominated both for the Yearly Awards as both were remarkable. Maybe it's a good thing that I can't afford any of them as it would be an unsolvable problem, to choose between them I mean! It was probably the best month of my audiophile life – I spent it with two of three best systems I know. Sometimes it's really great to be a reviewer!

Hegel working as a DAC is undoubtedly a high-end performer. Use a high class CD Transport as a source and you might forget about hi-res files playback – you won't need it anymore and love your music like never before. Those who like files as a music medium will also like what HD30 has to offer.

Hugo TT proves that an audiophile manufacturer with long tradition is able to understand needs of today's market. Chord prepared a device that when used in a high quality system with loudspeakers will become its heart, and when used in computer based system with cans it will become heart and brains of its operations. Its DAC section is pure and simple remarkable, and its headphone amp is a very good one. It is one of the few DACs at this price level that is able to easily present differences between files of different frequency sampling, as well as between PCM and DSD formats – most DACs simply are not resolving enough to be able to do that.

As for today the balanced version of Golden Gate DAC is a culmination of many years of hard work of Mr Łukasz Fikus. During last few years we've witnessed a great development of Lampizator's portfolio and we've been watching a well deserved success the company achieved and what's worth emphasizing, mostly on very demanding foreign markets. One doesn't success in America, for example, by accident, and that's where most Lampizator products actually go. This award is granted in part for the international success of this Polish company that makes me really proud as it is still one of very few Polish manufacturers who conquered foreign markets. But this is also well deserved award for possibly the best DSD DAC available today, and for sure the best I had a chance to listen to. Remarkable performance is one thing and an opportunity given to every user of shaping sound to one's preference simply by tube rolling is another. Golden Gate is a „wet dream” of each true tube aficionado. That is why I had no choice but to present this award to Lampizator Golden Gate!

Rumors suggesting death of CD are surely exaggerated. Truth is that only now designers show us what this format is truly capable of. CD5 by Japanese company CEC gives its user an impression of dealing with unique mechanical product as it uses a belt drive. CD5 delivers rich, deep, refined sound and its inner calm and coherence are simply remarkable.

The first version of this device has been a part of „High Fidelity's” reference system for many years. Even though I had a chance to review many, even much more expensive competitors during these years, I never felt like replacing it. Sensor 2 clearly outperforms its predecessor in every aspect. It offers well balanced, precise but never bright nor „screamy” sound. Both range extremes are powerful, rich and precise, bass extension is outstanding and its control impressive.

The best cartridge from my favorite Japanese manufacturer, Mr Noriyuki Miyajima. Cantilever sports a small piece of a Madake bamboo, the same that Thomas Edison used for a filament of his first bulb. One can not buy this kind of bamboo anywhere. The only way to get it is to receive it from Iwashimizu Hachiman-gu Shrine. Warm, rich, „human” sound, so easy to fall in love with.

Every true music lover will be delighted with the performance of these cables and every ever-searching for the best sound audiophile shall be impressed too. Silver Diamond offers rich, dense sound, resolving and selective and with simply put – fabulous bass. Soundstage depth impresses, and the recordings made to surround listener with the sound will do just that in a very convincing way. After this test we decided to purchase a set of Silver Diamond to be used in our reference systems.

One could think that only making the top of the line products is difficult for a manufacturer. But it's not true. In fact the most challenging job is to prepare an entry level product that would truly satisfy audio beginners with its performance and its looks. The more respect I have for the job done by guys from Melodika, as their Brown Sugar cable does a good job of not messing with any aspect of the sound. In this price range? That makes it a king!

It is hard to compete with renown brands on high-end market. But when man knows what and how to make than comparing his products with those of famous brands may bring very interesting results. Himalaya by KBL offers a remarkable performance – a rich, dense, precise, slightly dark sound that will be a great complement of many refined, high-end systems.

This cable has to offer a very open and at the same time very rich sound. It is also particularly refined but it shall prove its value in every kind of system – it's the best confirmation of Mr Kazuo Kiuchi's artistry. He is a true master in everything he does.

These cables look like a shoelace, but they sound like ones of these garden-hose-thick-like cables – Mogami offer warm, rich sound signature, but with nicely extended treble, too. One wouldn't probably be able to brag about them in front of one's friend as it's difficult to even see them on the floor, but they do a lot of good for the system!

If the power has to be filtered, has to be „conditioned” it should be done in Gigawatt's way. Their most expensive power conditioner is perfectly made and it brings something of ultimate tidiness and order to the system. It should be treated as equally important component of a system as any other. It shall provide not only improvement of the performance of the whole setup but also its protection.

Rogoz Audio Cable Stabilizers are quite large, look very good and are build using solutions developed by this Polish manufacturer. One can easily see what one pays for and then as easily hear their influence on the sound. These elements bring sound closer to live-like, deeper, more sophisticated experience. When used in expensive setups they will help to get more music from the sound.

There are many products of this type used by industry, although most don't look as good as these passive RFI/EMI filters. In audio they are not commonly used despite the fact that each high quality product should have such filter built-in. But they don't. For those without on-board filters X Block will do a very good job improving decreasing noise and thus offering black background and delivering more natural, softer sound. We bought three of these filters for our „High Fidelity” reference system.

This Capella Cracoviensis recording was released by French label Alpha. The album with complete recording of Johann Sebastian Bach Motets is a result of series of concerts that took place in the first quarter of 2014 and another session performed in Krzysztof Penderecki European Music Center in Lutosławice.
The sound on this album is well balanced and somehow appropriate for this particular music. Music is performed by great artists who truly understand played and sang material, who are really committed to what they do. This results in special ambiance that can be found in this recording, which is sort of inherent feature of all Alpha releases.

Moog synthesizer as a main character accompanied by Sinfonietta Cracovia, material mastered by Jacek Gawłowski – that's Bach To Moog album. All these elements offer a new, interesting insight into works of the Leipzig cantor. Sound is warm and rich, and the key role plays the mighty Moog System 55. Wonderful album! It is also a beautiful release nicely prepared by Music on Vinyl.

Sound of both discs is tonally balanced, following a direction set by a Virgin 4-disc release of Tangerine Dream. In fact it might be even better than the latter. It is more resolving, with better selectivity and differentiation. Both frequency extremes are nicely extended but listener's attention is focused on the midrange as this part of the range holds most information. Great music and a very good sound quality too.

What an album! It's a recording of pure energy, swing (however that sounds like), free jazz improvisations and just Music. And there is this phenomenal realization – that's how jazz should be recorded!

Music is an artistic legacy, even if we're talking about so called „popular” music. That's why it needs to be preserved, protected. And while it is done it should be done in style, like Kameleon Records did with this box with Skaldowie works. It offers everything one should expect: fantastic sound, properly, carefully reproduced original covers, and a great box. This release together with 2015 Niemen Remaster show other the way – that's how it should be done.

„Kostka Rudnika” is one of the most beautiful Polish releases of 2015. Sound quality only confirms this impression. This release preserved richness of the analogue tape, i.e. very characteristic harmonics, many small details, nuances that vinyl records released many years ago simply did not offer. When needed sound is very palpable, on other occasions particularly profound. Soundstage is impressive – although created, artificial it plays important role in artists vision.

This Sygitowicz albums cheers man up whether it is a rainy of sunny day because it includes hit after hit. Also the remaster is a great job – it offers rich, full sound. I loved sound of guitars as with their timbre very accurately presented. It's a great, instrumental rock music with some catchy melodies, interesting instrumentation, played in a very natural, effortless way.

Such albums show the best, non-over-thought side of progressive rock. Unloved Toy is a well sounding, musically interesting album. I recommend it for all fans of good music, also because it is one of these albums that you'll want to listen again and again to.

One should listen to this album to find out the way a piano might sound like when extensive sound effects are used. In this case it sounds in particularly rich way. This album might be your stress-release “medicine”, instead of other recordings of sea waves or some other voices of nature. Rolled-off treble and emphasis on lower midrange make listener feel like he's under water watching things happening there. Fantastic album!

One can find some echoes of works of Brian Eno, and surely of Robert Fripp on In The Red Room album. It is a complete, finished work characterized by a minimalist beauty and melancholic energy – these are the key features of this music. A wonderful cover, and very well pressed vinyl offering rich, full sound – that's what makes this album special. This work combining elements of drone, ambient and krautrock music enriched with some psychedelic sauce is a must-have for any electronic music fan.

It is a great accomplishment to play jazz in 21st century in such a way. Classic swing and yet it's not boring, nor tiresome. To record jazz in 21st century in such a way it's even greater accomplishment. Powerful, energetic sound, beautiful bass, fantastic dynamics – this recording was done in fully analogue studio and it's quite obvious once you start listen to it. Great job!

MIRACULA. MEDIEVAL MUSIC FOR SAINT NICHOLAS
performed by Ensemble Peregrina/Agnieszka Budzińska-Bennett

180 g Long Play | Tacet 213

Ensemble Peregrina together with our fellow-countryman Ms Agnieszka Budzińska-Bennett recorded an album with medieval songs linked to saint Nicholas. It amazes with both, sound quality and remarkable performance. Voices are particularly resolving, and room's acoustics conveyed in a wonderful manner. Sound definition is also fantastic. Sound is very open and one can tell, that sound engineer, Mr Spreer, is really good at his job. I perceived it as a very analogue sounding recording comparable to those from the golden age of audio. Miracula… is a wonderful release confirming Tacet's status of one of the best labels on the market.

This album has but one flaw – it's too long. Perception could be much better if it was released as a double album. Apart from that – this is an unending list of hit tracks. Ed Sheeran obviously knows how to create good, dense tracks that never get old. On high quality system this album will deliver good sounding, rich, spacial sound with great dynamics of guitar, drums and other instruments. After few session this album simply got stuck in my head.

There is no way this album goes unrewarded. Both releases, CD and vinyl, offer fantastic tonal balance, rich, resolving sound, and above all – all these elements worked for and with music to deliver outstanding performance. This is piece of timeless, phenomenal music. It is also one of the best examples of GAD Records „remastering school”. His label never delivers any poor releases.